Grand Central Station, Birmingham

It’s Saturday and our first visit to Grand Central Station. Confusion reigned as to whether the whole station had been rebuilt; but turns out it’s just the old Palisades upstairs. The concourse is confusing; it’s seems to be split into two separate blocks; all guarded by ticket barriers. Yet go there on an evening or weekend and they’re all wide open. You can quite easily see where everything was before; and the Tesco hasn’t moved at all. Yet it’s still a good effort. There’s a lot more choice in terms of small food chains; though how they can compete with each other as well as the city-wide chains is a mystery. But it’s nice to see the archway open up and you can actually see daylight shining through; it makes you feel a lot less trapped inside the centre of the city. Yet Kevin McCloud wasn’t impressed; even saying that the whole thing was dull and dirty. Again, he was looking at the station rather than the shopping centre.

Black Country Ales English Summer at the Crystal Fountain, Cannock

Our final pub was to be the nectar of Cannock; and the name of the pub made it even more of a shrine to visit. Nestled in the suburbs, Black Country Ales are well known for their array of hand pumps and interesting guest beers. This particular pub is listed as ‘Neo-Georgian’; though from the outside it looks like a bricked prison and the clientele hanging outside the doorway did little to improve its image. Inside, the counter is well preserved, but the room furnishings seem bare and cold. Live sport dominated the atmosphere, with a large group watching a premier league game and a second smaller group watching the rugby in the other room. There was little to invite us into the other two rooms of the pub, or even to advertise the fact that they were there. We did opt for a second half; but only because of the range of beers involved and also time was pressing on us for our train home.

Marstons Flyer at the White Hart, Cannock

It looked liked a typical local’s pub from the outside. Inside, it was a local’s pub, with a pool table and lounge TV area in the front; together with a second pool table and a conservatory at the end of the corridor; and a jukebox on the side opposite the toilets. And the bar was massive. But in pride of place right by the entrance were four real ales. Granted, it was a Marstons pub with only Marstons beers; even though it wasn't evident from the outside. The beer I opted for was called Flyer; one of the brewery’s Rugby specials; and it was in superb condition. They had really gone to great lengths in taking pride in looking after their ale, and even though it was a busy afternoon the licensee made a special effort to come over and say hello. I hope that more local people will appreciate it in the years to come.

All hope abandoned at the Royal Oak, Cannock

Our first pub of our Cannock tour was the Royal Oak so that we could start building upon our Cask Marque portfolio. Once we’d found it; it looked a bit run down. The outside walls were peeling and the windows were scratched; one was even boarded. Inside, the view wasn’t much better. A lone hand pump stood at the end of the bar was labelled with a Banks’s Bitter clip; hardly a welcoming sign of quality. The floor was sticky; the place was packed with locals either ordering food or hanging around the bar area. We were getting zero vibes of inspiration from just being in the place; so we instantly decided it was hardly worth the long wait just to be served with a half pint for the purposes of sampling to mark the pub as visited. Instead; we walked out the door; apart from the lone ranger of our group desperate to achieve one more scan; before realising there were better places to be explored.

The Iron Man by Ted Hughes

The Iron Man: [A Children's Story In Five Nights] by Ted Hughes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn’t a story about the Marvel superhero Tony Stark; this tale is much older and has more depth. This classic science fiction story is so simple in its formation; yet has such beautiful imagery. The short descriptions in the tales make for perfect reading; and also allows listeners to jump in and ask questions at any time without interrupting long narratives. We do not learn of the origins of the Iron Man; we are simply told that he has arrived. The tale becomes realistic once the Iron Man is spotted by Hogarth; and makes the leap from fantasy to reality when the farmers find their broken machinery. The tale does get a bit far-fetched with the arrival of an alien space dragon towards the end of the story. It’s a shame that Hollywood has had to rename it ‘The Iron Giant’ so as not to confuse people with the Avengers.

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Adnams Black Knight at the Linford Arms, Cannock

This Wetherspoons pub was the smallest I’d ever seen! It had just one seating area away from the
main bar, and another lounge round the corner for diners. There was an upstairs seating area; but I thought that may just be for the toilets. The beers were all quite strong and from international brewers; Wetherspoons seemed to have rejected its Locale policy lately and gone for buying these ales in bulk; the main problem is that they all seem to be over 4.5%. It was also a struggle at the bar; with lots of people ordering food at the same time and only two people were serving; any more simply wouldn’t fit. The Adnams Black Knight wasn’t really anything special; just a dry IPA with an extra kick of strength. We couldn’t taste the promised chocolate as indicated in the tasting notes; and got out the map to plan our next venue.  

Hammerton N1 at the Royal George, Euston

Having arrived at Euston, I thought one last pub before the final trip home would be fitting. A quick search found that the Royal George fit the criteria; a Victorian brick pub just opposite the entrance of Euston Station. Inside; I discovered yet again that every table was full as many other people had the same idea to relax before the long commute home. I had also been tempted by food until I discovered that the pub’s menu was an identikit of the Taylor & Walker variety. I managed to find a spot at the bar which occasionally caused me to move as it was directly opposite the pub’s card payment machine. However, the beer was in great form, and I even managed to find a brewery that I’d never heard of, and it was local too. As I left the pub; it must have been a spot of gold as a rainbow formed underneath it! 

Pure UBU at the Salisbury, Charring Cross

My next pub was the Salisbury in the theatre district, and was also a popular spot; this time for leisure. This was a Taylor-Walker outlet; and despite the attractive Victorian horseshoe bar and stylish booths; it could have been any pub on the planet. Three regular ales were being served; and I decided to go for Purity. I ordered a half but was charged a pint. The barman instantly realised what he had done; but it took some considerable time for him to attract a supervisor so that the mistake could be rectified. Walking round the rest of the pub, it was hard to find space that wasn’t being occupied. Benches were full of pre-theatre goers enjoying a pre-show drink. It was certainly a pub for people to pass through on their way elsewhere; and I couldn’t see any diners or any signs of regular activity. It was a convenient location outlet for the company to increase their presence. 

Merrimen Merriweather at The Harp, Trafalgar Square

I was really looking forward to this pub as it was a former CAMRA Pub of the Year winner; even though the pub had changed hands from a pubco onto Fuller’s. The good news was that Fuller’s hadn’t restricted the new licensees on their choice of microbreweries. The bad news was that it was a small corner pub…and it was absolutely rammed. The bar was in a single corridor room; with a few tables either side of it. There was an outside area in the form of a corridor; though I did walk right past the pub before discovering its entrance. There may have been an upstairs drinking area which may have been quieter; but I wanted to stay in the hustle and bustle of the pub atmosphere. Unfortunately, it was office quitting time; and the pub was packed with pre-journey commuters. There wasn’t really any space to prop up the bar and engage with the regulars; and I was forced to hang onto a bench to enjoy my half pint. Beer was good; not in great condition; but tasted well.

Into the Belly of the Brewery

We were shown into our classroom for the day and were offered tea and biscuits; though we had to make our own brews. Then after going through today's agenda; we each introduced ourselves and named our favourite beer; though only one person came forward and named a Fuller’s one. Then we were taken into the heart of the brewery for a brief history of its formation. We were shown the traditional copper fermentators which looked fantastic; and also the giant plastic liquor tanks; which were far less pretty. We also had a quick insight into the laboratory; where samples of beer and water are regularly checked for quality and consistency. No taste tasting like the days of old! I particularly enjoyed watching the automated cask washer happen; it was great to see barrels of beer on the move! Sadly; their keg operation was a lot faster and had more people attending to it.  We finished our tour at the hop bar; where it was time for a glimpse of Fuller’s Breweranina; and of course some tasting as well!

Journey to the entrance of...Fuller's Brewery

It was a nice sunny day; and I’d actually arrived at the brewery despite the tube delays; and didn’t even get lost. I paused for a while in a park as I didn’t want to arrive too early. It was a good job I had a towel with me; as the park bench was sopping wet. I decided to try for a selfie of the brewery; though the angle was very hard to get owing to a busy duel carriage way right in front of it. Then came the task of finding the right building. The first place to try was the pub since that was the nearest place and it was also open; a rarity for 9:30 in the morning. Inside, breakfast was being served; but the barmaid had no idea of what was going on. Luckily one of the brewery workers was tucking into his breakfast; and directed me to the main reception. Here; I had to sign in and was given a pass to the main gate. After getting directions off the watchman and finding the accounts department; I finally arrive in the cafeteria where I meet the rest of the group.

Purity Brewery

On a fine summer’s evening in September, members of Redditch and Bromsgrove CAMRA got together to visit Purity in Warwickshire. Many of us had visited the brewery before; but since its inception in 2005 the business has grown and a large re-vamp of the disused barns on the farm in Spernall has now been completed. On our arrival, we were greeted by Tasha George who wasted no time in arranging some samples for us including Mad Goose, Pure Gold and Pure UBU, named after the brewery’s canine companion (Useless Bloody Urchin!). After explaining how the brewery was formed and the history of each beer; Tasha whisked us off to show us the mysteries within.

Inside, we were shown the hop store and the different hops that are used in each beer; then we headed upstairs to the malt room. It was here that we got a great view of the brewery’s shiny new fermenters made by Braukon in Germany. This has allowed them extra brewing capacity and also room to experiment with new beers. The brewery has also been voted Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year through using heat and steam exchange technology to reduce energy consumption; recycling their spent grains and hops; and have created a natural wetland out of their waste water which makes for a very nice afternoon walk!

After the tour it was time for some more sampling; with the addition of Longhorn IPA, Lawless Lager and bottles of Saddle Black. Tasha very kindly let us pull our own pints; then there was just enough time to visit the brewery shop before catching our bus home. Our thanks must go to Tasha George at Purity for hosting a fantastic evening.

Norham Castle

Five miles west of Berwick upon Tweed lies the ruins of Norham Castle. These remains on the Scottish border have tonnes of history inside of them. Its huge keep dominates the land which finally fell to cannon fire in a fifteenth century siege. A fortified gateway offers entrance to the castle grounds; where the Tweed runs into the moat alongside the brewery. It’s a shame that the brewery would be abandoned while the castle was under siege; however the defenders could use the brewery to their advantage by poisoning their beer before running to the keep; which would disrupt the enemy’s frontline if the siege was to last a while. The small chapel also has its own building away from the keep alongside the Tweed; to allow the occupants to worship and to mourn the dead during peacetime. It’s funny how English Heritage have taken over the site and offer free admission; yet try to close it over the winter even though it’s an unmanned site. Yet, they’ve still got their hands on it and have fenced off the higher areas of the tower. Despite this; it’s definitely a great pace to stop and explore.   

The King's Regimental Barracks

Berwick upon Tweed has had such a fascinating military history for such a small town; and one of the places where it all comes together is the barracks. This huge complex still has its traditional parade ground where troops used to practice drill parades and fortify the town from invaders.  Their exhibits depict war through the ages and the daily life of a regimental soldier, as well as charting the conflicts of the King’s Regiment. I quite liked the old-fashioned pistols; a weapon that’s easy to conceal and has many different designs; despite its purpose to perform just one simple task. However, little is shown of the barracks themselves; and you get a far clearer picture of how they helped to fortify the town by taking the walled walk. Here there are remains of gun mounts; you can see the traditional armouries; and admire the scale of the walls built to withstand enemy advancements. 

Berwick Upon Tweed Castle Walk

I had no idea how picturesque the town of Berwick Upon Tweed is. This coastal settlement has a fantastic historical town wall walk; where you can visit both the barracks and battlements; and also explore the remains of the castle. We followed a footpath through some parkland which descended to the Tweed then carried on into the North Sea. Along the way, we found the old castle walks and walked through an old tower entrance corridor. The remains of the guard towers are still there to explore. The walls are full of tunnels and ramparts to mark the town’s historic military past. There are also some beautiful gardens hidden in the hillside, complete with a pond and a Japanese pergola. Within the town itself, a fantastic town clock is perched upon a magnificent town hall building; its size respecting the size of the town but its pillars stand out to show the importance of the building. I would like to go back some day and do a complete circuit of the town. 

Lindisfarne Castle

Lindisfarne Castle must be one of the most isolated castles in the world. It has its own island which can be cut off completely by the causeway; and is built on a gigantic mound. It has a classic winding path climbing upwards; perfect for defenders to chuck rocks or boiling oil down on its attackers. There’s also a large cave area, perfect for a secluded secret dock; or to be used as a storage room for food during sieges. Its round towers offer views for miles around of both approaching ships and also traffic from the mainland. Eric and his Vikings would have had a hard time storming this castle! But if they did storm it; it would have to be during high tide so that reinforcements would not be able to arrive from the mainland. I’m not sure if that’s a flagpole or a transmitter protruding from its highest tower…

Lindisfarne Priory

In pursuit of St. Columba, we followed the eastern coastline southwards across the English border to reach Lindisfarne on Holy Island. Here we were able to drive across the causeway to reach the Priory. This beautiful twelfth century building has some amazing archways and pillars amongst its architecture, as well as the remains of the traditional chimney. It’s quite strange how some of the lower arches have been bricked up; though this is more likely restoration work to keep the structure standing rather than something sinister hidden deep within its vaults. There are also arrow markings on one of the pillars, as if constantly reminding worshipers to keep looking up. The gardens are well kept with hyacinth plants, and there’s even a lighthouse to climb and explore the nature of the North Sea. I half expected to see a rabble of rabbits hopping about, but sadly Channel 4 filmed that sequence elsewhere.

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dirk Gently returns for another occult mystery; this time with the Norse gods, though he seems the only character to care as to why the crime occurred. The style of this book is a lot livelier than its predecessor. The conclusion is so abrupt that I didn't actually realise that the book had ended. I never could work out the significance of the eagles other than as a decoy to cease the advancement of the plot. And it’s a real shame that Kate never gets her questions answered; which allows Adams to stall or advance the story as much as he likes. In short, you have to become a detective to discover the narrative yourself. Still, the story does give some very useful life advice; such as what to do if you need your car fixed in a hurry; or what to do if you become lost down a countryside lane.

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The Lantern

Lights flash in a vertical pattern, slowly getting brighter and brighter. The torso begins to revolve silently in a clockwise direction. As it completes its first revolution, it comes to a halt. The triangular sections of the upper and lower panels of the light begin to fold outward. Two lights can be seen flashing intermediately; a blue light emitting from the top; and a red light from below. The room suddenly grows dark. An electronic siren sounds as the remaining light panels slide open; together with the iron railings below. As the siren ceases, a spiral staircase emerges leading down into the ground. Yellow lights replace red and blue, illuminating each step. The topmost panel flashes yellow. Then the opportunity passes. The spiral staircase descends back into the ground. The panel slides shut, and the lantern revolves once in an anticlockwise direction before coming to a halt and the light dims.

Prayer Wheel

On the ground floor of the National Museum of Scotland sits this very colourful prayer wheel. Rather than write their prayers down to be recited from; these wheels could mark the progression of a monk’s spiritual journey. Perhaps he is only allowed to turn the wheel when he or she has achieved a special stage in life. The carvings on each wheel means that the reader must take a precise amount of time to reflect on each symbol before they are allowed to turn each point of the wheel. Perhaps the wheel could summon a particular spirit or demon if turned in the correct manner; or reveal a passageway if turned in sequence. Perhaps treasure or ancient scrolls could be hidden in each wheel; or maybe the roof sheltering the rack could raise or rotate to be a wooden canvas, or be used as a boat. You could even spin each wheel to see what you’ve won from the temple; a line of five means you’ve won a goat!  

The Millennium Clock

Hidden at the far end of the Scottish History Museum is the Millennium Clock. This magnificent grandfather clock depicts several scenes of myth and folklore throughout the ages.  Although the inner workings of the clock aren’t in motion; the figures are magnificent. At the bottom, we have the devil urging the tin man to spin the cogs faster and faster to impede mankind to fall. You can almost hear the figures come to life; urging each other to work harder to increase mankind’s suffering. The pendulum in the centre ridden by a human skeleton reflects the modern age; watched by the animal kingdom as man makes his mark upon the world above; with models of cannon and warfare. At the very top of the tower is the golden angel representing heaven. It’s as if these figures are the guardians of time; who choose to accelerate or slow the clock as and when they please.

History Museum, Edinburgh

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of city life is Edinburgh's History Museum. This building had an amazing atmosphere as it was playing host to a free fringe event; and the acoustics were fantastic in the main reception hall. The animal room was amazing; with skeletons hanging from the ceiling and a complete model shark floated above us as if caught in its own Sharknado! We also got up close and personal with meteorites in the space room; where metals from another world have been captured and cased for all to see; alongside a giant model of our DNA. We also saw a Chinese prayer wheel; a full scale 18^th century locomotive, and a huge furnace (which sadly wasn’t in action today, though I had seen it before). There were many other floors of the museum that we didn’t get a chance to visit; you really need a full morning in order to view everything.

Edinburgh

At lunchtime we arrived in the city of Edinburgh and straight into the heart of the fringe festival. Our goal here was to meet an old college friend; which we duly did in the Jolly Judge. As we were waiting; we overheard a debate as to whether or not Hogwarts was real; to which we duly answered; ‘These Muggles’! We also saw a spitfire in the parade area of the Royal Tattoo; where our friend managed to sneak by my other buddy while I was in the gift shop. The pub has had an interesting history of local magistrates passing through before going on to pass sentence in court; a practice that is sadly lacking today.We were then treated to a whistle-stop tour of the National History Musuem; where we ducked in and out of the corwds with the help of our local guide. I have yet to ascend to the mound in Edinburgh; ride the wheel or visit Camera Obscura. Perhaps time will allow me on my next visit. 

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Pity abounds in this eighteenth century novel about a poor Victorian girl who nurses her father who has been imprisoned for debt. Along the way we meet Arthur Clennam who attempts to do her father justice; and Mr. Barnacle; of who he has to battle in order to free Amy’s father. The politics starts when Clennam attempts to get things done; by way of visiting the Government’s office, who is always keen to pass the blame to someone else. Within each chapter is a maze of characters; who are paired up in the most insignificant of circumstances,; all of which Dickens is keen to introduce; inform us of their standing in society and their personality; and are then either praised or mocked depending on how they assist our young protagonist. Much is learnt here about attempting to getting things done in Victorian society, and in some respects; very little has changed.

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Abernethy Tower

Our morning venture outside of Perth saw a visit to Abernethy, a small village four miles south-east of the city. Here, a small war memorial marks the centre of the village, and just behind it sits the round tower stretching up out of the churchyard. A few minutes later, we managed to procure the key from the local tea shop; and were able to climb the metal staircase to the top of the tower. Inside was a magnificent bell, and beyond that was a trapdoor to the ramparts. As well as views of the church itself, we could also see the other church which is currently in restoration. We could see into people’s backyard gardens, where one house had a gigantic palm tree with a treehouse resting underneath it. There were also flagpoles declaring united dependence, newly landscaped gardens and people generally going about their daily business. As we were descending, the bell suddenly began to strike, signifying the start of morning worship. It was great to see the bell in action, but I certainly didn’t get to see it so close! The tombstones in the graveyard were certainly worth a look too. 

Rushven Barracks

As the sun was setting we arrived at Ruthven barracks. Fortunately the site was unmanned so we had the whole place to ourselves. These barracks were built to house 120 men but were held by just twelve following the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. Inside, the parade ground is still evident alongside the well; and you can also see where the beams went into place for each floor of the quarters. The stables are well preserved which also provides a great view of the surrounding hills. We also got spotted by a drone; which was being flown by a man in a dodgy white van a few miles away. Whether we were being filmed or not is unknown; but he sped away once I took a picture of his van. We certainly weren’t trespassing. However, once again Scottish Heritage had managed to get their hands on preserving the site; moving all beams and decorations into storage.

Battle of Culloden

If you bear east off Inverness, you will find the Battlefield of Culloden, a memorial park where the moors have been painstakingly restored to portray the war between the British and the Jacobites. Today, the visitor centre lets you pay £10 to see relics from the battlefield; alongside interactive displays of how the battle may have worked out. But it’s far better to just take a stroll around the battlefield where you can really gain a sense of atmosphere of what took place on this desolate moor. Here, Scotsmen stood up over the feudal British Lords in an attempt to preserve their Scottish traditions. Along the way are various graves of where each clan fell; and you can also see the front lines and a huge memorial cairn. If you’re in luck, you may be able to ascend to the rooftop of the visitor’s centre for a view; or if you’re even cheekier; you can sneak into the exhibition on your return from your battlefield stroll.

Nessieland

Just off the shore of Loch Ness itself, is Nessieland; a museum themed to the dedication of the Loch Ness Monster. The museum entertains many theories here of just what is the Loch Ness monster; from a plastic submarine to viewing the dinosaurs through a crack in the space-time continuum! There has also been an amazing amount of searches for the beast; from local sailors intent on hunting him down; to famous celebrities with money to spend. I quite like the idea of working for the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau; driving around with shades in black trucks upon receiving news of any sightings; and wiping the minds of those who have spotted Nessie accordingly. The gift shop is also well worth exploring; and there’s a huge model railway which you can see in action for just a pound. The strange thing was that just down the road was Drumnadroochit, where a more historical exhibition could be found.

Commando Memorial, Spearn Bridge

Just a short drive from Fort William lies the Commando Memorial, a statue in the Scottish Highlands facing the northern peak of Ben Nevis. This peaceful site is worth a visit just for the views; and commemorates the many commandoes that were trained in Scotland before being deployed in warfare. There is also a modern memorial garden for soldiers that have recently fallen; where bereaved families have left tokens and photographs of their loved ones, as well as friends and colleagues who have come to pay tribute. You can just picture a platoon of bagpipe players in kilts marching in playing Amazing Grace to mourn the passing of another soldier, bringing his ashes to rest in the Glen; while tourists and visitors come to a standstill to mark the occasion. The motto ‘United We Conquer’ just goes to show how much respect people have for these men who died so that we could live. It’s a very solemn place but is well worth exploring.    

The legend of Colin Campbell

 Legend has it that Colin Campbell, a Scottish merchant, was foully murdered in the woods of Lettermore. You can follow the murderer’s trail just outside Lochabar, where the wood remains today, and a cairn marks the site of the murder. You can just picture the perfect scene; taking a quiet stroll with no-one else around, unknown that a marksman is taking his place somewhere above you on the hillside. The road must have been a fairly used one for the body to have been found; otherwise the murderer could have simply hid the body in the woods (unless of course, he wasn’t travelling alone). History often asks us to assume certain details; but unless it is declared then who are we to believe which version of events? It was also the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Kidnapped, as that was the setting for the novel. But you do get some great views of Ballachulish and the surrounding area.

Let sleeping logs lie...

One of the great freedoms of being in Scotland is that you’re quite easily able to wander off the beaten track. We’d have never visited half of the things that we did if it wasn’t for the BigglesMobile. Upon return of each trip, we’d always pass by a fallen log on the side of the road, which we had quite a debate about whether it looked like a dragon or a horse. On some occasions it must have moved places, as it always showed up on a side of the road where we least expected to see it. It always had the same posture, tall and majestic, as if in mid-gallop. Once we’d passed it, it would probably trot on down the road and around the Loch, seeking to protect the wildlife and nature of the Loch from deforestation. Though it probably needs to work a bit harder just a couple of miles down the road where a large amount of logging was taking place.